Let’s hope Australia’s political sickness isn’t contagious

By Gwynne DyerSep. 3, 2018

The real-life Game of Thrones in Australian politics isn't driven by any pressing issues, just political gamesmanship.

Former Australian prime minister Tony Abbott, pictured during a visit to Canada in 2014, was ousted from atop his Liberal Party by a member of his caucus, Malcolm Turnbull, in 2015. Mr. Turnbull was in turn ousted from his post as prime minister late last month by Scott Morrison, also a member of the Liberal caucus. The Hill Times file photograph

LONDON, U.K.—I happened to be in Canberra a couple of weeks ago, speaking to a room full of journalists at the National Press Club, when the news came in, halfway through lunch, that Australia had a new prime minister. The moderator pointed out that the year is already two-thirds gone and it is “only three prime ministers till Christmas”—and the China Daily’s headline read “Australia changes its prime minister again, again, again, again, again.”

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